GOOD MORNING--TURKEY PRESS SCAN ON JULY 22

HURRIYET

--NUCLEAR DIALOGUE AT DOLMABAHCE PALACE

Saeed Jalili, secretary of Supreme National Security Council and Iran's nuclear negotiator, has met Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan during his stopover in Istanbul after attending talks with envoys from the United States and five other world powers in Geneva.

Jalili told Babacan during the meeting, "they do not trust us. They do not listen to us. Instead, they threat us. But when the name of Turkey is mentioned, it eases the tension."

Meanwhile, Beabacan said that Iran should take more tangible steps and pledged to maintain Turkey's facilitative role.

--"IT WAS NOT AL QAIDA"

Two Turkish engineers who were kidnapped in western part of Afghanistan by unidentified people last week, have been released. Engineers Gokhan Gul and Erhan Gunduz were brought to Turkey by a private plane. They said that they were kidnapped by a group of plunderers, not by al Qaida militants.

--PKK TERRORISM COSTS $300 BILLION

Deputy Prime Minister and government spokesman Cemil Cicek has indicated that terrorist organization PKK's acts of violence cost about $300 billion . "The Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP) costs $32 billion. If we had not dealt with PKK terrorism, we would have finalized the project for ten times," he said.

 

MILLIYET

--SHOCKING ACCUSATION ABOUT COLONEL

An investigation will be launched against Colonel Ali Oz, former commander of the Provincial Gendarmerie Forces (in Trabzon), by claiming that he acted negligently regarding the assassination of journalist Hrant Dink. Colonel Oz testified in a court in Bursa province. Oz said he did not remember whether he received intelligence or document ahead of assassination of Dink. Oz stated he did not know Yasin Hayal, either.

--GUN FOUND IN ATO FROM IRAQ

A Glock gun, found in the office of Ankara Chamber of Commerce Chairman Sinan Aygun, came from Iraq, officials said. Turkish Security Department asked information about the gun from the manufacturer in Austria. It said the gun was bought by the USA and it was delivered to coalition forces in Iraq in 2003.

 

SABAH

--KOC GROUP TO PLANT 700,000 YOUNG TREES

Turkey's Koc Group will plant 700,000 young trees in seven forests in seven regions of Turkey. The trees would be planted under a project called "For My Country". The young trees are made possible by donations from Koc Group companies, employees, dealers and suppliers.

--WE WOULD INVEST $1 BLN IN TURKISH REAL ESTATE MARKET

Alexander Blank, President of CENTURY 21 Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine, said that his group is planning to invest $1 billion in the real estate market of the southern province of Antalya. Representatives of CENTURY 21 convened in Antalya on Monday and discussed investment opportunities in Antalya. "Antalya is not only a major tourist destination for Russians. Antalya offers many possibilities to Russians with its coast, hotels, residences and luxury villas," Blank said.

 

VATAN

--DID GERMANY PAID RANSOM TO PKK?

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has given a confusing answer to journalists who asked whether Germany paid ransom to the PKK terrorist organization to save the kidnapped mountaineers. Merkel said that they did everything they could.

Meanwhile, the Der Spiegel wrote that Ahmet Danis, spokesman for the terrorist organization, told the magazine in an interview, "two Kurdish institutions in Turkey mediated for release of mountaineers."

Three mountaineers were kidnapped by PKK terrorists during a climbing expedition on Mount Agri on July 8. The three were released after 12 days.

--"DAY OF FATE" TO BE SET FOR RULING AKP

Turkey's top court will set a date to debate the closure case against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The Constitutional Court delegation will convene at 1:30 p.m. Some said that the members of the top court were planning to go on a vacation on August 10th, and that they could convene in the first half of August to debate the case.

 

CUMHURIYET

--COLONEL OZ NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING

Colonel Ali Oz, former commander of the Provincial Gendarmerie Forces in Trabzon, will face an investigation due to a claim that he acted negligently regarding the assassination of journalist Hrant Dink. Colonel Oz testified in court and said he did not remember whether he received intelligence about assassination of Dink.

--ATAKOGLU HITS CHARTS IN USA

Turkish pianist and composer Fahir Atakoglu's new album "Istanbul in Blue" is being picked up by many radio stations across the USA. Atakoglu's latest album "Istanbul In Blue" is the most added and the most increased in air play album, according to Jazz Week and Media Guide. His album has become the number 1 on the World Music Album Chart in the United States.

 

RADIKAL

--COURT DATE FOR DECISION ON AKP'S CLOSURE CASE TO BE DETERMINED ON TUESDAY

Turkey's Constitutional Court would determine the date for the decision on the closure case filed against the ruling AKP on Tuesday, July 22. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Cemil Cicek said that "it is the AKP's wish to see the Constitutional Court decide on the AKP as early as possible."

--ABDUCTED MOUNTAINEERS RETURN HOME TO GERMANY

Three German mountaineers who were abducted by PKK terrorists while climbing Mount Agri 12 days ago were released and returned home to Germany on Monday. Fierce reaction to PKK terrorist organization came from the German Greens. The Greens said that "PKK deeply hurts the Kurds."

 

YENI SAFAKÂ

--"IT IS HOW BITLIS PASHA AND ERSEVER WERE KILLED"

Tuncay Guney, who lives in Canada, has given a shocking deposition to the security officers regarding the Ergenekon probe. "Esref Bitlis Pasha, former commander of the Gendarmerie Forces, and Major Cem Ersever were aware of all actions of the Ergenekon. Since they were opposed to dispatch of weapons to the PKK terrorist organization, they were killed," he said.

--OZ'S BAD MEMORY

Colonel Ali Oz, former commander of the gendarmerie regiment in the northern province of Trabzon, has told the prosecutor he could not remember whether he received an intelligence report about killing of journalist Hrant Dink of Armenian descent. An investigation was launched against Colonel Oz for allegedly neglecting his duty.